Preparing For The Fringe 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen are you ready for the Fringe 2009.

Are you coming to Edinburgh to visit.
Are you coming to Edinburgh to perform.

Well all going well I'll be back. Armed with a camera, again all going well.

So be prepared for another year of reports, reviews and loads of photos.

And now that I've got my new space on the web parked for later.

I have a space for all the people that would like their show promoted here.

All the best. 06/02/09 01:22

Dyslexia has it's advantages (12.5.9)

Not wanting to start another post I thought I'd add this little bit of information. Over the last few weeks one or two visitors have arrived at my many blogs while looking for images. Lucky for me it seems that the rest of the world is dyslexic. Having tagged images without checking the spelling I'll never get traffic to my blogs unless the person searching cant spell.

If I could spell I'd get more traffic, but the fun is getting traffic from those people who can't.

If you're interested do a google image search for contraversial and you'll see what i mean.

And for those of you that can't be bothered here are two of my three most popular images

that bring visitors to my blogs.

And the third image that brings people here is

Street Performers and The High Street

The High Street in August is a buzz of activity. With casts and crews promoting their shows. Flyer's of all colours and sizes change hands.

The crowds that flock to the High Street are drawn each and every year by the multitude of buskers and performers from all over the world.

These performers come to the High street because Edinburgh is the premier street performing Festival. Without them would there be the crowds, the buzz, the atmosphere that is central to the outdoor Fringe in Edinburgh.

The energy that they bring to the High street carries a price, normally a few £'s dropped into their hat. But such a small price to pay for what makes the High street the place to be during the run of the Fringe.

So what if there was no buzz. No roar of chainsaws, no cracking of whips, would the Fringe be the Fringe the people come to Edinburgh to see.
Would the people that spend their days wandering up and down the Royal Mile be there. Would they spend their money in the shops, coffee houses and bars that adorn the Mile? Or would they look somewhere further afield for the entertainment they truly desire in August.

Easter Weekend on the High Street

It could have been August on Saturday; apart from the fact it was dry and sunny. The High street was buzzing. The crowds of tourists had decended on Edinburgh on mass.

Chris Cross, Todd Various , Figo and Scott were on the High street performing.
Pop the baloon man was weaving his magic art.

Armed with a camera I found my balance not lost from last year and found a bollard that didn't wobble.

It may be only April, but with a bit of sun and the £ not as healthy as last year, my prediction is that we might just have a lot of people in Edinburgh this year. Might be a good idea to book now!

What's to say that June and July could be the new August for everyone.

Sunday 19th of April

The clouds broke again and the Sun finally showed it;s face on the High street. The High street was agin rocking to the blues.

Saturday had been cold and overcast. Sunday I just could not believe how warm it was in the sun.

Magic on the Mile.

In one small part of Edinburgh.

The sun was the spotlight for everyone.

The Canon G10 Compact

Over the last few years I've been using digital camera; but haven't owned one. Last week I took the plunge and bought my first digital camera.

I got the Canon G10. A compact camera with the specifications of a good digital SLR.

It will mean I'll not be quite as obvious on the High Street during the Festival. Not have as much to carry. And mean that I may just change the way I'll be shooting things during the Fringe. But every year with a different approach I can bring my unique outlook on what I do.

So bring on August Mr Brown's up for a new challenge.

First results are pretty impressive and produce bigger files than the cameras I've been using over the last few years; which is scary for a compact of it's size.





First impression of the camera are pretty good. There are loads of different things to play around with in terms of settings. So I have a month to get used to all it's idiosyncricities before the Fringe proper starts in August.

I've been taking photographs now for the best part of 25 plus years. But every day I do I run into situations I've not run into before.
The same with my camera equipment. There are things one camera can do, will do that another won't, etc.

So in buying my new Canon G10 compact I decided to give myself about a month of getting to know it. Finding my way round the buttons and dials. As well as the digital menus and sub menus.

Whether you own just one camera or have multiple bodies, my best advice is "make sure you know it works" even the best and most expensive camera might have a problem. And there's no point in buying one just before you do a truly important job.

Be prepared. Keep your instruction book to hand. And test, test, test to destruction before you do something that your reputation depends on.

You wouldn't buy a car to drive round the World the same day you start. So why do it with a camera.

If your lively-hood depends on it, why risk the humiliation of poor quality images or no images. Wouldn't it be better to have tested it first?

That's my advice to everyone, amateur and professional.

And still people out there in the real world don't follow these simple rules.

If you like the look of what the Canon G10 does why not

buy it now!

August 1st Crowds on the High Street

The Jazz and Blues Festival first Festival to start the ball rolling in Edinburghs Festival season.


The sun shone and street performers where there to take full advantage of the numbers on the High Street and at the Mound.

I ran into friends old and new. And apart from one or two random hiccups. Had a fantastic day.

If I have more days like this I'll not survive the Fringe.
My newest friends and aquantinces must have been a bit suprised when I wandered up and said you're Mayhew.

Had great fun listening to them and photographing them. I'd missed them last year. So I was there with bells on today.





I'd just spent a day working on my computer and listening to tracks on their myspace page.



The end of the day came and it was home to sort what I got today. To blog it and facebook it.


And start again tomorrow

August 2nd And it all Happens Here

Everyone comes to Edinburgh, because it's the venue to be seen in. A city that is a theatre under the sky. No other city has the architectural backdrop that makes a festival quite so special.

The Art of Street Photography

The Jazz and Blues Festival kicked off on Saturday with a bit of noise and colour. Samba drummers and dancers where at the City Council buildings on the High street. Crowds of people flocked into the courtyard to watch and listen to the proceedings. There I headed to to see if there was anything that took my fancy too.

Then I spotted a familiar face the "I have a press pass photographer and I can go and stand anywhere I want". With no consideration for the crowds of people already there taking photos. He strode around obscuring the view and I guess ruining a lot of peoples photographs. He didn't even seem to be taking any photographs at the time.

Good street or press photographers are discreet and will at least acknowledge people they are about to get in front of.

Arch White and myself are watchful of who we get in front of. We move to get a photo, we move to get out of the way of the audience.

That's why we get invited into a performers space, because we respect the street, we respect the performer and we respect the audience watching.

So if you get a press pass to go anywhere during the Fringe use the eyes in the back of your head because I do.

Street photography is about that "shot." But it's also about how you get that shot. Small children would rather watch the funny performer, than the disrespectful photographer.

And for those photographers out there who publish for profit a Fringe press pass is a required item of clothing.

August 4th Tick Tick Tick

As the opening day nears the High Street draws the world to it's cobbled way.

As crowds gather whips crack and chainsaws roar.